Revealed: 27% of Brits can’t wait to celebrate their divorce

I’m a party expert, here’s how to host the perfect divorce party in 2024

With 27,908 divorce applications made between January and March this year alone¹, Brits are making tough decisions on their relationships, however they seem to be celebrating the end result more than ever.

New research from greetings card marketplace thortful found that on average, a divorce takes around six months to complete², giving people optimum time to plan a celebration, and over the last year, there’s been a 33% increase in searches for ‘How to celebrate a divorce” as well as a 100% increase in searches for ‘What is a divorce party?”³

The negative stigma surrounding divorce seems to be lifting around the UK, with 27% expressing a “joyous” sentiment when discussing the topic on social media⁴, so what are the best ways to throw a party?

Experts at thortful have revealed five key elements to consider when hosting a divorce party below, inclusive of sensitivity, the perfect guestlist, bonfire rituals, budget and more:

1. Remember to keep it low-cost:

“Try to keep the party as low-key as possible. It’s important to remember that the guests you invite will have spent a lot previously on the hen or stag party, as well as the wedding itself. Planning extravagant holidays or weekends away could prove to be a financial issue for friends and family, so bear this in mind and create something affordable. A great idea is to host it at your own house, to have complete control over a minimum spend for yourself and your party guests.”

2. Humour is key:

“If you’re planning on having a divorce party, the chances are you’re feeling positive about the future, which should rub off on your guests. The event needs to be light-hearted, with ‘Just Divorced’ balloons, tongue-in-cheek décor such as black roses, as well as a divorce cake. If you wanted to take things to another level, you could even ask your guests to help redecorate parts of the house you disliked, that were to the taste of the ex-partner.”

3. Picking the ideal guestlist:

“Be as conscious as possible about the connection your guests may have with your ex-partner. Ensure it’s a close group of friends or family that are completely on your side. The last thing you need is any awkwardness from friends or relatives of your ex. Depending on your preference, it may also be worth keeping the party adult-only, as discussing divorce and relationships whilst there’s children around may not be appropriate.”

4. Thoughtful activities: 

“At this stage of a person’s life, it’s important to be hopeful and excited about a new beginning or future. Creating mood or vision boards with your friends and family is a great way of expressing optimism on what you want to do next with your life, encouraging guests to get involved on their next goals. If you prefer to cause more of a ruckus, you could hold a bonfire in the garden. Remember to be safe of course, but this is the perfect opportunity to find closure by disposing of any relationship mementoes that you want to rid from the house.”

5. Pick the party that suits YOU:

“Depending on how you feel about your divorce, create an event that matches your emotions. If the whole process has been exhausting, a pampering spa evening with rom-coms in a movie marathon could be perfectly suited. If you want to blow off some steam, a mini-hen or stag do could be created with cocktails and the perfect “moving-on” party playlist.”

For further ideas on how to host a divorce party, visit thortful’s blog here: https://www.thortful.com/blog/divorce-party-ideas/

Or, for the perfect card to take to a divorce party, visit thortful’s collection here: https://www.thortful.com/cards/divorce